30 monuments in this category
Prince of Wales Museum, now known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, is known for housing more than 50,000 artefacts portraying the rich heritage of India. Established in the early 20th century to commemorate the visit of King George V to India, the museum building boasts of remarkable Indo-Saracenic Architecture, inspired by the royal Mughal Architecture. The main three sections of exhibits at the museum include Arts, Archaeology and Natural History. The Art section has spectacular collections of over 2,000 miniature paintings from various schools of art across India, along with many palm leaf manuscripts, decorative artefacts in jade, ivory, silver, gold and other metals and stone sculptures. The Archaeological exhibits include artefacts from Indus Valley Civilization and many powerful dynasties and empires. Terracotta figures and coins are among the top highlights. The Natural History section exhibits India’s rich flora and fauns, including many birds, mammals, reptiles and other species. In addition, the park has galleries for maritime heritage, forestry, armoury, textiles and European oil paintings. Students and other sections of visitors can obtain discount on the museum tickets. Additional charges are imposed for audio guides.
Popularly known as NIS, the National Institute of Sports & Art Gallery is the Asia’s biggest sports institute. This spectacular building houses a unique collection of sport memorabilia like PT Usha 1986 Seoul Asiad Shoes, the Adidas Spike worn by Milkha Singh, Major Dhyan Chand’s gold medal, a 95 kg hass used for squats by the Great Gama, a bat autographed by the Indian Cricket Team after winning 1983 World Cup. Informally renowned as the “Mecca” of Indian Sports, NIS works as the academic wing of the Sports Authority of India. Visitors can also find the replica of prestigious national sports award like the Arjuna Award and the Padam Shri Award. Renamed as Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, NIS and art gallery is located in the Old Moti Bagh Palace. Visitors can also explore other attractions in Patiala like Chattbir Zoo, Qila Mubarak, Sheesh Mahal and Moti Bagh Palace.
National Crafts Museum, also called the National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum, in Delhi is among the country’s most impressive attempt to safeguard its rich arts, crafts and traditions. With more than 3,000 items on daily display (and more than 33,000) reserved for special exhibitions, the museum promises the perfect tours through the invigorating craftsmanship of rural India which is worth getting familiar with. From the centuries old specimen of Bhuta art from Karnataka and rare collections of embroidered textiles from Kashmir, Kutch and other region, the museum has many outstanding displays to its credit. Metal jewellery, bronze images, clay pots and dolls, wooden carvings, tribal masks, terracotta work, folk paintings, cultic craft and many other astounding exhibits can keep anyone entertained. A village complex showcasing village lifestyles from different parts of India is another notable attraction. Village dwellings, courtyards, religious places and daily items of use are displayed here. The museum is famous for monthly theme-based craft demonstrations. Some of the most famous galleries include Ritual Craft Gallery, Bhuta Sculptural Gallery, Tribal & Folk Art and others. Lota is the museum shop that sells interesting specimen and souvenirs to the visitors. Café Lota is another shop where the visitors can explore and learn Indian cooking crafts. You can also visit a library within the premises. Photography in the museum is allowed only on permission.
Nagaland State Museum located in the state capital Kohima is an interesting tourist destination in the Northeast India. The museum is known to accommodate exhibits that portray the historical and cultural aspects of the tribal state. Ancestral weapons, along with the traditional tribal costumes and jewellery items including clan motifs, necklaces and precious stones, are among the top highlights of the museum. Naga Morung, the tribal hut model, is worth exploring as well. Carved gateposts and Feast of Merit status pillars attract the visitors’ attention instantly. An art gallery within the premises displays the artwork of the artists from the state. Among the most interesting exhibits are the bone sculptures, bone smoking pipes and chairs made of elephant bones. Wooden dishes, traditional musical instruments made of bamboo and horns and prosperity stones in the museum are extremely fascinating as well.
Dedicated to the most eminent Indian poet and the first non-European Noble laureate, Rabindranath Tagore, the Rabindra Bharati Museum portrays his entire life and achievements. The museum was established at Tagore’s ancestral house called Jorasanko Thakurbari by the first prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru. The top exhibits at the museum include Tagore’s personal letters, books (first editions) written by him and books written about him. Many journals, clippings, pictures and paintings associated with his life are also worth exploring. In addition, one can find utensils and furniture items used by the Tagore family in display. An archive of records of the songs in the voice of those who learnt directly form Tagore is another highlight. Paintings of Indian, Western and Anglo-Indian origins form another important category of exhibits. The museum hosts celebrations on many important occasions, including Tagore’s birthday. Hundreds of poets, writers and admirers visit the museum to seek inspiration.
Also renowned as the Indore Museum, this is one of the most fascinating buildings in Indore. The museum displays the finest architecture from the prehistoric times. The Central Museum is indeed a treat for history lovers, who are keen to know about the culture and account of Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Located in proximity of the General Post Office in Indore, the museum has two galleries. The first gallery showcases the artefactsfrom the prehistoric era. Tourists can also see Western Malwa displays like ornaments, stone tools, and domestic products. The second gallery exhibits the impressive sculptures of Hindu mythology. Items like arms, armour, bizarre antiques, and coins are largely displayed here. Apart from these, the museum also displays beautifully carved idols of Hindu God and Goddesses; the most impressive one being the sculpture of Shiva and Parvati sitting on Nandi. The uniqueness of this museum is displayed through the Ganpati statue installed in the museum, which is believed to be the world’s largest Ganesh statue measuring 8 mt.
Served as a residence to Mahatma Gandhi from 1917 to 1934, Mani Bhavan Gandhi Museum is a two-storey house symbolic of true patriotism. Deemed as the huge and most impressive mansion from pre-independence time, this house was transformed into a museum. Popular as the memorial of the Father of the Nation, Mani Bhavan Gandhi Museum houses the famous Old Charkha of Gandhiji. The museum has a picture gallery that showcases photographs, slogans, posters and items related to Gandhi’s life. Mani Bhavan Gandhi Museum houses a reference library that consists of more than 50,000 books, film and recordings related to Gandhi. Visitors can enjoy the special screening of films made on Gandhi in the auditorium inside the museum. A tour to this museum will give you serene and wonderful experience. Other nearby attractions includes, Shree Siddhivinayak Temple, Gateway of India, Marine Drive, Chowpatty Beach and Marve Beach etc.
National Gallery of Modern Art is among the top art venues of India, established in the year 1954 and located at Jaipur House which formerly served as the royal residence of Jaipur rulers. The gallery is popular for its rich collections of paintings, graphics, photographs and sculptures from the renowned Indian and international artists. From the work of Company Era (colonial period) to the inimitable specimen of contemporary art, these mind-blowing treasures are a must to explore. Many of the works on display date back to 1857. Sections like Mysore and Tanjore paintings, Kalighat paintings, Bengal School paintings and those from eminent artists like Rabindranath Tagore, Gaganendranath Tagore, Raja Ravi Verma, Jamini Roy, Nandlal Bose, M. F. Hussain and Thomas Daniell are among the top favourites at the museum which also regularly hosts art exhibitions. A shop within the premises sells picture postcards of the most popular paintings.
Archaeological Survey of India maintains numerous site museums across the country, one at Sarnath being the oldest one. Dedicated to the riches of Buddhist culture, the museum displays collections dating way back from the 3rd century BC and 12th century AD. Sculptures, Buddha images, artefacts and edifices associated with Buddhism and many powerful dynasties like Mauryas and Guptas. Ashoka’s Lion Capital is indeed one of the prime attractions. Other highlights of the museum are touch-screen information kiosks, museum shop and coffee shop within the premises. The museum has special amenities for physically challenges visitors and these include wheelchairs and ramps, Braille descriptions and restroom. One can also visit the archaeological sites and other tourist attractions in Sarnath, including Buddhist stupas and viharas, Ashoka Pillar and Jain Temples. Warnings: Don’t make noise and don’t touch the exhibits.
Nagpur Central Museum, also known as Ajab Bangla and Madhyavarthi Sangrahalay, was constructed by the British way back in 1863. The museum is hone to many rare and interesting artefacts, some of them collected from the sites of Indus Valley Civilization. Apart from artefacts, the museum has other exhibits in the form of coins, sculptures, inscriptions. The 6 galleries displaying these artefacts include Art, Archaeology, Anthropology, Geology, Industry and Natural History. Among the most popular exhibits at the museum are the stuffed and preserves birds, mammals and reptiles. The visitors can find great deal of information about the history and biodiversity of Central India at the museum. There is a library within the premises and a newly introduced cafeteria. The museum has been recently renovated and is surrounded by beautiful gardens. You may get to attend international film shows, lectures and other events at the museum.
Since 1937, the Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum in Bikaner has been mesmerizing the visitors with rich collections of artefacts in numerous categories. Among the most distinguished exhibits are the terracotta masterpieces dating back to the Golden Gupta Period. Artefacts from the Indus Valley and Harappan excavation sites are the earliest specimen of the human evolution. Another amazing collection is that of lacquer work done on wood, stone, glass, leather, metal and surfaces as interesting as ostrich eggshells. Jain marble sculptures and bronze images discovered form the Rajasthan villages have spellbinding appeal. Equally charming are the artistic carvings done on wood and stone. When in Bikaner, you are never far from some splendid painting work and the miniature paintings from various regions of Rajasthan at the museum confirm this fact. Also displayed are the coins, royal farmaans (messages written on rolled fabrics), royal silk robes and jade and diamond studded royal weapons. Mesmerizing carpets and gilded leaf work on camel hide are simply outstanding. Stuffed lions and tigers are reminiscent of the courage that royal hunters exhibited. You can also explore ancient Sanskrit manuscripts, old photographs and Litho prints dating back to the British Era.
The Government Museum in Egmore at Chennai, unfoldedin about 16 acres, houses six independent buildings and forty-six art gallerieswithin its premise. Famous as one of the oldest and major museum houses in thestate, the Pantheon Complex of this museum is home to the renowned National ArtGallery. Known as the oldest yet most interesting art galleriesin India, the National Art Gallery upholds the treasured retentions of thestate. Also popular as Victoria Memorial Hall, this art gallery is made of redstones. Inspired from the architecture of the Mughal period, thegallery displays ancient yet eye-popping antique pieces of various dynasties inone premise. The Government Museum and National Art Gallery are a real treatfor history and art buffs. Visitors can also enjoy the sight of numerous nearbyattractions like V.G.P. Golden Beach Resort, Muttukadu, Crocodile Bank andCovelong etc. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-priority:99;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;mso-para-margin-top:0cm;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;mso-para-margin-left:0cm;line-height:115%;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
A colonial building, called Inveram, which graciously stands as a part of Shimla’s rich heritage houses the Himachal State Museum, also known as Shimla State Museum. Established in 1974, the museum houses numerous galleries exhibiting the cultural, historical and archaeological worth of Himachal Pradesh. With more than 9,000 objects on display, it is indeed a must-visit attraction in Shimla. Pre-historic Gallery with stone tools, fossils and fibreglass models of extinct animals and Wood-carving Gallery with inimitable wooden art are two popular attractions of the museum. But, these are not the only highlights as there are sections like Archaeology Gallery with pottery specimen, terracotta items and stone sculptures collected form different parts of the country; Miniature Painting Galleries displaying Pahari and Rajasthan art. One can also explore great collections of coins at Numismatic Gallery and bronze work at Bronze Gallery. Cameras are allowed, but the use of flash is not. The museum can also be explored as a part of the heritage walk which covers other equally charming attractions like Scandal Point, Catholic Church, Kali Bari Temple and Town Hall among many others.
Sited about 10 minutes from the Chowrasta Mallbehind Gorakh Ranga Manch Bhawan, Darjeeling, Bengal Natural History Museum houses an extensive collection of Himalayan and Bengal fauna. Nestled in the heart of Darjeeling, the museum offers visitors the opportunity to explore over 4300 specimens of bird species, butterflies,reptiles, fishes, and animal species. The museum is compartmented into larger sections - ground floor and basement.Showcasing the wide varieties of flora and fauna, the museum also houses estuarine crocodiles - a rare species of crocodile. The butterfly and beetle section of the museum pulls maximum tourist attention. Apart from animal and bird species, the museum also exhibits a fabulous variety of colourful stones, which are visible in their mineral form. The radiantly decorated butterflies are undoubtedly the magnificent sight to look at. Bengal Natural History Museum Building also has a small library with a reading roomthat hosts a collection of many worthful and rarebooks like125 volume series of "The fauna of British India”. Other nearby attractions in Darjeeling includeTiger Hill, Senchal Lake, Lloyd Botanical Garden and Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park.
Lalbhai Dalpatbhai Museum is an art and archaeology museum that has a rich collection of ancient Indian art forms. It is especially noted for being a treasure trove of palm-leaf manuscripts, ancient sculptures dating back to the 3rd-11th century and miniature paintings from the Pre-Mughal era. One of the finest museums in Ahmedabad, the museum forms part of the LD Institute of Indology and was originally set up by Muni Shri Punyavijayji, a monk and Sheth Kasturbhai Lalbhai, a famous industrialist of Ahmedabad. Some of the collections include carvings in various media including stone, marble, bronze and wood, Jain manuscripts numbering over 75,000 Jain manuscripts and many rare artefacts. A 6th century AD sandstone carving of Lord Rama from Madhya Pradesh, which is believed to be the oldest-known carved image of Lord Rama is one of the most treasured pieces. At present the artefacts are displayed in a new museum building designed by the internationally acclaimed architect Shri Balkrishnabhai Doshi. The museum was opened top the public in the year 1984.
Located in Chanakya Puri, National Rail Museum presents the rail heritage of India. Housing the collection of over 100 real trains, the museum is unfolded in approximately 10 acres. Inaugurated on February 1, 1977, the museum accommodates a large number of vintage trains and two of the oldest locomotives of the world - the Vice regal Dining Car and the Fairy Queen. Visitors who love exploring various artefacts and want to know the history behind the ancient trains, a visit to National Rail Museum is a must. Tourists can see some of the royal trains like Prince of Wales Saloon, Maharaja of Mysore’s Saloon and Maharaja of Baroda’s Saloon. The interior of these trains is majestic and spells magic. Visitors can also explore nearby attractions like India Gate, Birla Mandir, Qutub Minar, Old Fort, Humayun’s Tomb, Adventure Island (Adventure Park) and Lodi Gardens.
An assemblage of the royal lifestyle, cultural heritage and historical specimen of Rajasthan, the Desert Culture Centre & Museum has to be in your list when visiting Jaisalmer. Visitors to this place are enticed by the rare collections of imperial coins and manuscripts put on display. This is not all as the place boasts of other exhibits including royal weapons and armaments, regal attires, traditional musical instruments, beautiful utensils and much more. Developed by Mr. N.K. Sharma, the venue also displays collections textiles designed using spectacular arts from different parts of the region. Karal, a traditional utensil used for mixing opium, is among the most noteworthy items. Ancient and medieval period fossils can easily gain your attention. When at this popular place, don’t miss the extremely entertaining puppet shows organized in the evening. It also hosts many cultural programmes that are worth attending.
Established in 1855, Napier Museum is no less than an icon in the city of Thiruvananthapuram. Admirable for its Indo-Saracenic Architecture, featuring gothic roofs, minarets and outstanding ornamentation, the museum building in itself is an attraction worth exploring. The museum houses rare historical and archaeological collections of artefacts, ornaments, ivory and wood carvings, bronze idols, traditional musical instruments, temple chariot, textiles and a variety of handicrafts. The museum complex is also home to the Natural History Museum which exhibits the galleries of mammals and birds, skeleton galleries and fossil tree trunks. Yet another attraction in the premises is Sree Chitra Art Gallery, which has fine collections of oil paintings by Raja Ravi Verma and work of other eminent painters from China, Japan and other countries. Roerich paintings, murals and miniature paintings are other highlights of the venue. Napier Museum shares the premises with Trivandrum Zoo, another must-visit attraction to watch animals like Bengal tiger, Asiatic lion, leopard, Asian elephants, Indian rhinoceros, zebra, giraffe, hippo and many more.
With its claim of exhibiting over 100 vintage cars assembled from various royal families and princely states, the Auto World Vintage Car Museum is an extraordinary place to visit. Explore some of the opulent models of Bentley, Rolls Royce, Jaguar, Lincoln, Ford, Daimler, Cadillac, Maybach and Austin and other iconic brands. A trip to the museum takes one to the bygone era when imperial heads of Indian states would invest in these US and Europe born beauties. The museum displays vintage cars in an admirable manner and the surroundings are extremely peaceful and clean. Museum’s owner Pranlal Bhogilal is a wonderful personality to meet. One can also enjoy the mouth-watering Gujarat cuisines at the restaurant located within the premises. Capture the memorable trip in cameras or choose to have an unforgettable ride in one of these cars. The city of Ahmedabad is home to many other popular museums like Calico Textile Museum, Gandhi Memorial Museum and Adivasi Museum.
Established way back in the year 1953, the’ Tribal Research Museum’ is also popular as the ‘Museum of Man’. In the year 2001, with the help of SCSTRTI, Government of Odisha a new building was set up to encase tribal culture, generate anthropological research and also to boost local and foreign tourism. The Tribal Museum is a fruitful endeavour by Indian Government to boost eco-tourism in Odisha. People from all sectors throng the Museum to study tribal eco-culture. The main display galleries depict the tribal items such as ornamental pre-historic jewelleries, dresses, personal possessions, common household articles, fishing related equipments, music and dance instruments apart from rare photographs and art works. In another section, which showcases ‘Tribal Shrine Crafts’, tourists can find glimpses of their spirituality. There are replicas of their tribal Gods and Goddesses that hints at their belief in supernatural powers and religious affairs. There is a new gallery dedicated to affluent cultural traditions of the 13 PVTGs of the State of Odisha namely- Juang, Dongria Kandha, Bonda, Mankirdia, Saora, etc. The Tribal Museum is surrounded by lush greenery with a herbal garden that has almost 350 medicinal shrubs and plants. One can find enthusiastic eco tourists, students, learned scholars as well as general locals visiting this informative institution. The Tribal Museum has also carved its niche in the tourist chart of UNESCO.
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